Amaravati

The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet on Thursday unveiled a wide-ranging austerity roadmap aimed at cushioning the state and the country from the economic fallout of the ongoing Gulf conflict, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for prudent spending and fuel conservation.

Announcing the decisions after the cabinet meeting in Amaravati, K. Parthasarathy said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had urged citizens to embrace the philosophy of “My Country, My Responsibility” amid mounting pressure on India’s energy imports, foreign exchange reserves and export ecosystem due to the West Asia crisis.

Among the key recommendations approved by the cabinet are “No Vehicle Friday,” work-from-home arrangements, online classes in universities, reduced use of special flights, downsized political convoys, fewer foreign tours, wider use of public transport, virtual meetings and voluntary postponement of gold purchases.

The chief minister first called upon ministers, legislators, public representatives and senior officials to lead by example before asking citizens to adopt similar practices.

Under the proposed measures:

• Public representatives have been advised to reduce the number of vehicles in their convoys and avoid unnecessary escorts.
• Ministers and MLAs have been encouraged to use buses, shared transport, bicycles and even undertake padyatras during field visits.
• Government departments have been advised to consider work-from-home arrangements for up to two days a week.
• Universities and educational institutions have been asked to explore online classes and designate “engine-free” days to discourage the use of two-wheelers.
• Officials travelling for meetings have been encouraged to adopt carpooling and virtual conferencing.
• Citizens have been urged to prioritise domestic tourism over overseas vacations.
• Families have also been requested to defer discretionary purchases of gold to reduce pressure on India’s foreign exchange reserves.

Naidu, whose Telugu Desam Party is part of the NDA, said such collective restraint could help the country navigate the economic uncertainty created by the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

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The Andhra measures come as several BJP- and NDA-ruled states begin implementing fuel-saving and austerity initiatives in response to the prime minister’s broader national appeal.